Kinnaird Rowe McKee (August 14, 1929 – December 30, 2013) was an American

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

four star admiral who served as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion from 1982 to 1988. He also served as Superintendent,

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

from 1975 to 1978. McKee was born in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

on August 14, 1929, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1951. He served in the Pacific fleet destroyer

USS Marshall (DD-676) USS ''Marshall'' (DD-676) was a of the United States Navy. Namesake Thomas Worth Marshall Jr. was born on 22 December 1906 in Washington, D.C. He attended the United States Naval Academy beginning in 1926. Following graduation in 1930, Ensign ...

during the Korean War and in eight submarines of the Atlantic fleet since that time. After completion of submarine training in 1953, he served in three diesel-powered submarines: USS Picuda (SS-382), USS Sea Cat (SS-399), and USS Marlin (SST-2). In 1956, Admiral McKee was ordered to command of

USS X-1 ''X-1'' (or SS X-1) was a United States Navy Midget Submarine designed under project SCB 65. Laid down on 8 June 1954, at Deer Park, Long Island, New York, by the Engine Division of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. Launched on 7 Sep ...

, a small experimental submarine. He graduated from nuclear power training in 1958 and joined the commissioning crew of USS Skipjack (SSN-585), the Navy's first high performance nuclear-powered attack submarine. Assignment as Executive Officer of

USS Nautilus (SSN-571) USS ''Nautilus'' (SSN-571) was the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine and on 3 August 1958 became the first submarine to complete a submerged transit of the North Pole. Her initial commanding officer was Eugene "Dennis" Wilki ...

followed in 1961, then of the USS Sam Houston (SSBN-609) in late 1962. After three deterrent patrols on the SAM HOUSTON, he served in the

Naval Reactors Naval Reactors (NR), which administers the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, is an umbrella term for the U.S. government office that has comprehensive responsibility for the safe and reliable operation of the United States Navy's nuclear reactors ...

Division of the Atomic Energy Commission from 1964 to 1966. Admiral McKee served as Commanding Officer of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Dace (SSN-607) from 1966 through 1969. The ship was twice awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and three times the Battle Efficiency Pennant for operations during that period. Following command of Dace, Admiral McKee served in the office of the Director, Navy Program Planning, where his responsibilities included strategic warfare, research and development, and submarine and anti-submarine warfare systems. In 1970, he was assigned to the immediate staff of the chief of naval operations, where he established the CNO Executive Panel. As Commander, Submarine Group Eight, Admiral McKee served as the NATO and U.S. submarine commander in the Mediterranean from 1973 to 1975. On August 1, 1975, he became the forty-eighth Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. Promoted to three-star rank in March 1978, Admiral McKee served as Commander, Third Fleet with headquarters in Pearl Harbor. From there he was assigned as Director, Naval Warfare, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations concurrent with the expansion of the directorate from its original concentration on anti-submarine warfare to responsibility for all aspects of naval warfare. He developed and implemented the new organization. On February 1, 1982, he relieved Admiral

Hyman G. Rickover Hyman G. Rickover (27 January 1900 – 8 July 1986) was an admiral in the United States Navy. He directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of the U.S. Naval Reacto ...

as the Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion. On March 2, 1982, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for promotion to four-star rank. Admiral McKee retired on October 31, 1988, after 41 years of service to his country. Admiral McKee's decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, five awards of the Legion of Merit, and three awards of the Navy Unit Commendation. He died after a long illness on December 30, 2013.

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Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKee, Kinnaird R. 1929 births 2013 deaths United States Navy admirals United States Naval Academy alumni United States submarine commanders Military personnel from Louisville, Kentucky Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy